‘Paranormal Activity’ Director and ABC Taking Dip In ‘The River’

Oren Peli, the writer-director of the indie hit Paranormal Activity is looking to get his feet wet in the world of television. Peli is close to landing a deal with ABC to bring his original drama idea "The River" to primetime. According to Deadline, "The River follows the story of a famed adventurer/TV personality who goes missing and is presumed dead deep in the Amazon. His friends and crew go to look for him on their state-of-the-art research vessel." The show would be shot shakey-cam-style (cinema verite to all you elitists) like Paranormal Activity, a trend that’s quickly becoming tiresome.

I’m not sure how you make an entire series out of that premise, but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. I’m more concerned about this "state-of-the-art" research vessel. Such words make James Cameron‘s ears ring. If he gets word that people are doing "research" near "water" he could take the whole thing over and turn it into an Omnimax documentary about indigenous jungle wildlife.